illustrations were cool. Maybe im stupid but i guess english has gone a long way from explaining things so thoroughly like in this book, to make things simplified to instructions in modern day. Written to the character of the author

I can't say I've read this whole book, but flipping through the illustrations is an education on ornament in itself. The author breaks down different designs and shows what basic shapes they were derived from, and how both the natural world and geometry have influenced design. Several different styles are covered: Classical, Baroque, Beaux-Arts, and probably a few others I can't name. There is a hint of a simpler 1920's look in a few of the illustrations, but the focus is on older styles.

In addition to architecture, the author shows many examples of ornaments used in frames, vases, heraldry, jewelry, etc. If you're looking for this type of design resource, this is a great source. Loads of illustrations.